10/17/15

Saturday night at Citi Field in NLCS game 1, Daniel Murphy
and Travis d’Arnaud provided the power while Matt Harvey was spot-on all game.
The Mets take game one of the series with a 4-2 win. It was Jon Lester vs
Harvey. In the top of the first the Mets
took a 1-0 lead off Lester, when the scorching hot Daniel Murphy hit a solo
homer, his 4th homer in his past 6 games. His 4 homers set a post
season record for homers by a Met in one post-season. In the fifth, the Cubs
got to Harvey. On a 0-2 count Harvey hit
Anthony Rizzo. Starling Castro then hit a liner over the head of Juan Lagares
in center scoring Rizzo making it 1-1. After a ground out, Javier Baez singled
to left and Yoenis Cespedes threw out Castro at home to erase the threat. In the
5th Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares hit back to back singles. Matt Harvey bunted into a force at 3rd.
Then with two out, Curtis Granderson singled to center bringing home Lagares
for a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the 6th, Travis d’Arnaud hit a line
homer off the apple in straight center, his 2nd homer of the post
season and the Mets had a 3-1 lead. In the 7th, Juan Lagares
singled, was sacrificed to 2nd by Harvey, stole 3rd and
Granderson hit a sac-fly to left to make it 4-1 Mets. In the 8th,
Kyle Schwarber showed his impressive power hitting a 459 ft. solo shot off Harvey
to make it 4-2. For Schwarber his 4 homer of the post season as well and it was
the first home run yielded by a Met starter this post-season. Lester lasted 6
2/3 allowing all 4 runs (earned) he allowed 8 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5. Harvey
went 7 2/3 allowing 4 hits; the 2 runs (earned) walking 2 and striking out 9 notching the win. Jeurys
Familia came in the 8th for the 4 out save. d’Arnaud went 2 for 3
with the homer; Lagares went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Granderson had 2 RBI
to pace the offense. Sunday night is game two of the series. Noah Syndergaard (0-1 3.68) goes for the
Mets, Jake Arrieta (2-0 2.45) goes for the Cubbies.

It was great to see Harvey in complete command as he was. After being underdogs against the two-headed monster of Greinkshaw, this time it seemed like we were in the driver's seat, at home. And even then, if Murphy doesn't make that amazing grab, who knows what might have happened.

Hey if Harvs, Thor and Jake all come out throwing near their best, this Mets team is very, very hard to beat. It rarely works out that way but it's a nice starting point.

And then Familia - so this is how it feels to have a lights-out closer. Nice safe feeling. Fantastic.

The great thing about this Mets team is I'm looking forward to seeing this matchup of a rookie against the soon-to-be Cy Young award winner. We may or may not win, but it doesn't feel overmatched. Time for Duda and Cespedes to step up...

Ernest, I don't think Murphy accepts a qualifying offer, so sure, that's a step you take if you don't want him.

If the Mets want to retain Murphy -- and with the Wright situation, I think they should -- they are going to have to pay fair market value. It may begin by taking the contract they offered Lucas Duda last winter, and adding to it a bit. 3/$36, maybe. Or will he want four years?

I'd play him at 3B tonight. David needs to gets some sleep, take some muscle relaxers, and try to get himself ready for Game 3 on Tuesday. I don't think he can touch Arrieta.